Women are vulnerable to weight gain in different life stages, including the menstruation period, pregnancy, breastfeeding, etc., but is it normal to gain weight during ovulation? The read would explain how weight gain during ovulation is normal ovulation and discuss its causes, symptoms, and treatments. (If you are suffering from morning sickness while pregnant, you may like to read our recent article.)
What is ovulation and its process:
The release of a mature egg from the ovary, which travels in the fallopian tube where it can be fertilized, is called ovulation. It is one of the many phases of the menstrual cycle and occurs under the influence of many hormones. It lasts a whole day but starts about 14 days before the next menstrual cycle. The weight gain during the ovulating period is often termed bloating.
During the ovulation period, many hormonal changes occur. Estrogen and progesterone are the primary sex hormones in the female body. Before ovulation, the estrogen levels are high before the luteinizing hormone surge. This causes fluid retention in the body hence bloating. After the ovulation phase, progesterone levels rise while estrogen levels drop, which may also cause mood swings.
Bloating during the ovulatory phase is normal. However, there are medical conditions in which they may act as symptoms. They may include ovarian cysts, PCOS (polycystic ovaries), and endometriosis. In such cases, bloating may remain for a long time after the ovulatory phase.
Signs of ovulation:
These are some noticeable features of an ovulating person,
- Tender breasts
Your breasts tend to be fuller due to the water retention and tender
- Abdominal cramps
Mild or sharp pain in the lower abdominal area may be felt, which lasts 1-2 days. They’re also called Mittelschmerz pain.
- Cervical mucus
They are noticeable on the underwear and appear transparent, egg white-like.
- Changes in basal body temperature (temperature may slightly rise)
The body temperature rises slightly. You may track your ovulating period by checking your temperature every morning before getting out of bed.
The secondary symptoms of ovulation are:
- Enhanced sense of smell, taste, and vision
- Increased sex drive
- Light spotting
The features may show a resemblance to the symptoms of pregnancy. One should take a pregnancy test or an OB-GYN consultation to avoid confusion.
What causes weight gain during ovulation?
As mentioned previously, hormonal change is the primary cause of water retention in the body, and it is noticeable around the time of ovulation and not necessarily during it. One of the noticeable features is fuller breasts. You may notice that your breast seem fuller than usual around the time of ovulation.
This is due to hormonal changes. Cravings for high-sodium foods also increase, such as fries and chips. However, it may contribute to further water retention hence weight gain. The amount of weight gain, however, depends from person to person.
If we talk about an important cause of weight gain around ovulation, that would be the low progesterone levels that occur before ovulation when estrogen levels are high. People who have abnormally low progesterone levels may tend to have irregular periods or even missed periods.
Diabetic women may have changes in insulin levels which causes weight gain around the time of ovulation. Underlying diseases such as PCOS, endometriosis, and Cushing’s syndrome are contributing factors.
How much weight do you gain during ovulation?
There have not been many studies on measuring weight gain during ovulation. But many studies have focused on the importance of a healthy weight for productive ovulation.
The weight gain during ovulation depends on many factors, like what kind of diet you eat, your overall health, and exercise. But many women experience temporary weight gain during ovulation, primarily because of body water retention. The average weight gain during ovulation may be a maximum of a pound or two. But, this is not a permanent weight gain, and you should only worry if it remains so after ovulation and doesn’t go away.
Ovulation bloating vs. Pre-Menstrual bloating:
The most accurate and easiest way to tell the difference between the two is to track your menstrual cycle. As mentioned above, you’re vulnerable to weight gain during your ovulation and menstrual periods.
Ovulation bloating occurs during the menstrual cycle, while the pre menstrual bloating occurs right before you get your period. This is also called premenstrual syndrome or PMS. Other characteristics of PMS include:
- Mood swings
- Irritation
- Constipation or diarrhea before menses
- Headaches
- Lower abdominal cramps
- Fatigue
- In some cases, nausea related to menstruation may also be experienced
How to avoid weight gain during ovulation?
About ¾th of the women are unhappy with their current weight, and when gaining extra pounds, they would go through tabloids and surf the web to find a cause for the unreasonable weight gain. Though it is a common phenomenon, one can still take precautionary measures to reduce ovulatory bloating. This can be achieved by carrying out healthy activities in their daily life. They may be as follows:
- Keep yourself hydrated
- Healthy diet
High-sodium foods should be avoided as they would cause even more water retention in the body and contribute to weight gain factors. Less salty foods should be eaten, and healthier foods shall be consumed. Sugar may also act as a contributing factor; avoiding them would be a good idea.
- Multivitamins
Taking multivitamin supplements keeps the body’s nutrients in balance and would help in the symptoms of bloating. It would be better if taken with a doctor’s consultation.
- Exercise and yoga:
Water retention can be relieved in the body by regular aerobic exercises. They would help a lot in avoiding water retention and unreasonably increased body weight. Yoga promotes physical and mental relaxation. Regular practice alleviated bloating that may arise from GIT disturbances.
A summary:
Unnecessary weight gain is not appreciated, and we search for every way to eliminate the extra fat, especially when it appears abruptly. Weight gain during the menstrual cycle is completely normal and is noticeable. The bodily changes occur due to the changing levels of the primary sex hormones, precisely the low progesterone levels and estrogen dominance which may result in water retention in the body. For an extended time period of the condition doctor’s consultation is recommended.
A healthier lifestyle can help reduce these unpleasant bodily changes to a great extent. Keeping yourself hydrated and avoiding sodium-rich foods is an excellent contribution to the changing lifestyle, but keeping up with healthy exercises is a good addition to daily life.
This helps with weight gain with ovulation and keeps your body and mind healthy in several ways. The changes lead to a comfortable life and reduce the uncomfortable period of the ovulatory period of PMS.
